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Ford Opens New Richmond Sales Office as Development Team Plans Broadmeadows Campus

28/08/2015

Ford is formally opening its new national sales company office in Richmond near downtown Melbourne with the installment of new Ford oval signs early this morning

Ford’s product development team also recently began planning the renovation of Ford’s iconic Head Office in Broadmeadows after establishing the campus as the Asia-Pacific Product Development Centre

Asia-Pacific Product Development Centre also is fully leveraging the recently updated design facilities to continue developing world-class vehicles like Ranger and Everest

Ford is refreshing its Australian line-up faster than ever with 20 vehicles planned by 2020, part of the company’s unique R&D investment of more than $300 million in 2015 , adding to nearly $2 billion the past six years

MELBOURNE– Ford officially opened its new national sales company office today in Richmond as part of new infrastructure investments that adds to the company’s more than $300 million R&D spending locally this year alone, which is more than any other automaker.

The opening occurred when two iconic blue oval signs were installed at the office, one each on the facades facing Victoria and Burnley streets.

With the move, the company also has established the Broadmeadows campus as the Asia Pacific Product Development Centre. This will be highlighted by the internal refurbishment of Ford’s iconic Head Office building in 2016.

The updated office will accommodate the country’s only automotive product development team capable of fully developing vehicles, which continues to work on high quality vehicle programs for Australia, Asia Pacific and the globe. Recent examples include the new Everest and Ranger.

Transforming Ford

Ford signed a long term lease with Melbourne-based Salta Properties for the new office space in Victoria Gardens where approximately 200 employees, contractors and other support staff have relocated to establish the new national sales company.

The new office has been designed to help accelerate Ford’s brand transformation, which is built on delivering a leading lineup of stylish, fuel-efficient and safe vehicles backed by a leading consumer experience at dealerships around the country.

Employees began working in the new office on the border of Richmond in July, capitalizing on the area’s vibrancy and related employee satisfaction benefits. The location also provides better access to more consumers and key business partners such as its advertising agency located in Richmond.

“By transforming our Head Office and Broadmeadows campus into the Asia-Pacific Product Development Centre, combined with ongoing facility upgrades at our Geelong-area testing facility, we are signaling Ford will be the only automotive company that can fully develop vehicles in Australia,” said Graeme Whickman, President and CEO, Ford of Australia. “The National Sales Company in Richmond will allow us to focus on delivering Australia’s best automotive consumer experience leveraging our outstanding product line-up now and into the future.”

Aussie innovation

Ford represents the future of innovation in Australia with its engineering and design centre and plans to become the country’s largest auto company after 2017 with a 1,500-strong workforce.

This team will continue to design, engineer and test vehicles with leading quality, fuel economy, safety and smart technologies for customers in Australia and around the world. No other automotive company will approach this level of local innovation.

The new investments in the local Victorian economy is in addition to more than $300 million the Asia-Pacific Product Development Centre is expected to invest in 2015, adding to nearly $2 billion invested the past six years.

“Ford is investing heavily in innovation as seen in the new Ranger and Everest SUV, and our Australian team will continue to be a key part of delivering even more advanced vehicles in the future as part of Ford’s global product creation team,” said Graydon Reitz, Ford’s Melbourne-based Director of Engineering and Product Development in Asia Pacific. “No other auto company is investing this heavily in Australia.”

Getting satisfaction

The national sales company will build on rapid improvements to Ford customer satisfaction with sales and service at dealerships around the country. This progress was highlighted as Ford earned three Canstar Blue Motoring customer satisfaction awards in 2014, including the coveted overall satisfaction honors along with after-sales service satisfaction and best hatchback awards.

“Ford’s new vehicles are widely being credited for competing with the best products in the world,” said Whickman. “As we continue our roll out of stylish, innovative vehicles, we are investing heavily to transform our customer experience so people who fall in love with our vehicles stay in love with them for many years.”

The new office is a modern facility with a combination of fixed offices, flexible work spaces and an open office floor plan as well as spaces for collaboration, brainstorming and innovation.

The national sales company also is leading the introduction of a wave of new products this year, including the newly updated Kuga SUV, Mondeo, and Focus ST models.

Other vehicles launching soon include:

2015 Ford Ranger: A freshened version of the tough, capable and Australian-created Ranger will arrive in September to build on its momentum after cutting Toyota Hilux’s sales lead by more than 40 percent since 2011.

2015 Ford Focus: A freshened version of the popular car nameplate arrives in October

All-New Ford Everest: The Australian designed and engineered Everest is a technologically advanced, stunningly capable and refined seven-seat SUV that will be launched in November

All-new Mustang: The most advanced version yet of the iconic pony car, offering more advanced driver-assist technology than any other car in its class, a new turbocharged EcoBoost® 2.3-litre and an upgraded 5.0-litre V8 with more than 320 kW will land in December.

About Ford Motor Company

Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Michigan, manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 187,000 employees and 62 plants worldwide, the company’s automotive brands include Ford and Lincoln. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford and its products worldwide, please visit www.corporate.ford.com.

Ford is formally opening its new national sales company office in Richmond near downtown Melbourne with the installment of new Ford oval signs early this morning

Ford’s product development team also recently began planning the renovation of Ford’s iconic Head Office in Broadmeadows after establishing the campus as the Asia-Pacific Product Development Centre

Asia-Pacific Product Development Centre also is fully leveraging the recently updated design facilities to continue developing world-class vehicles like Ranger and Everest

Ford is refreshing its Australian line-up faster than ever with 20 vehicles planned by 2020, part of the company’s unique R&D investment of more than $300 million in 2015 , adding to nearly $2 billion the past six years

MELBOURNE– Ford officially opened its new national sales company office today in Richmond as part of new infrastructure investments that adds to the company’s more than $300 million R&D spending locally this year alone, which is more than any other automaker.

The opening occurred when two iconic blue oval signs were installed at the office, one each on the facades facing Victoria and Burnley streets.

With the move, the company also has established the Broadmeadows campus as the Asia Pacific Product Development Centre. This will be highlighted by the internal refurbishment of Ford’s iconic Head Office building in 2016.

The updated office will accommodate the country’s only automotive product development team capable of fully developing vehicles, which continues to work on high quality vehicle programs for Australia, Asia Pacific and the globe. Recent examples include the new Everest and Ranger.

Transforming Ford

Ford signed a long term lease with Melbourne-based Salta Properties for the new office space in Victoria Gardens where approximately 200 employees, contractors and other support staff have relocated to establish the new national sales company.

The new office has been designed to help accelerate Ford’s brand transformation, which is built on delivering a leading lineup of stylish, fuel-efficient and safe vehicles backed by a leading consumer experience at dealerships around the country.

Employees began working in the new office on the border of Richmond in July, capitalizing on the area’s vibrancy and related employee satisfaction benefits. The location also provides better access to more consumers and key business partners such as its advertising agency located in Richmond.

“By transforming our Head Office and Broadmeadows campus into the Asia-Pacific Product Development Centre, combined with ongoing facility upgrades at our Geelong-area testing facility, we are signaling Ford will be the only automotive company that can fully develop vehicles in Australia,” said Graeme Whickman, President and CEO, Ford of Australia. “The National Sales Company in Richmond will allow us to focus on delivering Australia’s best automotive consumer experience leveraging our outstanding product line-up now and into the future.”

Aussie innovation

Ford represents the future of innovation in Australia with its engineering and design centre and plans to become the country’s largest auto company after 2017 with a 1,500-strong workforce.

This team will continue to design, engineer and test vehicles with leading quality, fuel economy, safety and smart technologies for customers in Australia and around the world. No other automotive company will approach this level of local innovation.

The new investments in the local Victorian economy is in addition to more than $300 million the Asia-Pacific Product Development Centre is expected to invest in 2015, adding to nearly $2 billion invested the past six years.

“Ford is investing heavily in innovation as seen in the new Ranger and Everest SUV, and our Australian team will continue to be a key part of delivering even more advanced vehicles in the future as part of Ford’s global product creation team,” said Graydon Reitz, Ford’s Melbourne-based Director of Engineering and Product Development in Asia Pacific. “No other auto company is investing this heavily in Australia.”

Getting satisfaction

The national sales company will build on rapid improvements to Ford customer satisfaction with sales and service at dealerships around the country. This progress was highlighted as Ford earned three Canstar Blue Motoring customer satisfaction awards in 2014, including the coveted overall satisfaction honors along with after-sales service satisfaction and best hatchback awards.

“Ford’s new vehicles are widely being credited for competing with the best products in the world,” said Whickman. “As we continue our roll out of stylish, innovative vehicles, we are investing heavily to transform our customer experience so people who fall in love with our vehicles stay in love with them for many years.”

The new office is a modern facility with a combination of fixed offices, flexible work spaces and an open office floor plan as well as spaces for collaboration, brainstorming and innovation.

The national sales company also is leading the introduction of a wave of new products this year, including the newly updated Kuga SUV, Mondeo, and Focus ST models.

Other vehicles launching soon include:

2015 Ford Ranger: A freshened version of the tough, capable and Australian-created Ranger will arrive in September to build on its momentum after cutting Toyota Hilux’s sales lead by more than 40 percent since 2011.

2015 Ford Focus: A freshened version of the popular car nameplate arrives in October

All-New Ford Everest: The Australian designed and engineered Everest is a technologically advanced, stunningly capable and refined seven-seat SUV that will be launched in November

All-new Mustang: The most advanced version yet of the iconic pony car, offering more advanced driver-assist technology than any other car in its class, a new turbocharged EcoBoost® 2.3-litre and an upgraded 5.0-litre V8 with more than 320 kW will land in December.

About Ford Motor Company

Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Michigan, manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 187,000 employees and 62 plants worldwide, the company’s automotive brands include Ford and Lincoln. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford and its products worldwide, please visit www.corporate.ford.com.